Last weekend, we took a short trip up to Brown County Indiana for the weekend. Sunday morning as we were preparing to leave, I did my normal pre-trip check and walkaround and everything looked good.

It was raining pretty hard at the time, so I just dropped my speed down to around 62 and cruise on home, about 80 miles. When I got home, I parked on the street in front of the house and began unloading a few things from the motorhome and then turned my attention to unhooking the Jeep. I have a Roadmaster Falcon motorhome mounted towbar, a Brake Buddy and use a wireless Towmaster brake light.

I engaged the transfer case on the Jeep and went to the front to unhook from the motorhome and what I saw made me turn white as a sheet. The locking hitch pin that holds the towbar in the receiver hitch was missing. This was a locking unit with a key. The only thing left was the sleeve that the pin slides through and it was hanging half-way out of the hole. That was ALL that was holding the Jeep to the motorhome (besides the safety cables). While I was on my knees I said a prayer to God.

That laughable part (if there is one) is that while I was traveling down I-65 around Sellersburg I looked in my left mirror and saw a white Jeep Commander overtaking me on the left. For a split second my heart sank until I checked my monitor and saw MY white Jeep was still behind the motorhome.

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I don't even want to think what could happen if only the tow cables were holding the vehicle. No doubt it would crash into the back of you if you tried to stop.

On I-70, one side of the mount for my tow bar broke, and the piviot of the tow bar allowed the Jeep to "float" side to side, noticed the unatural movement in rear cam, (when the jeep is back there, I have the monitor on full time), I slowed and the jeep bumped ever so slighlty into the rear bumper, I then applied the brakes evenly, bringing both to a stop safely, never bumped hard enough to damage either jeep or MH.

I knew of someone whose tow ball came loose on their tow dolly and it completely seperated from the MH on I-55 in AL, he was in the righthand lane, looked in the rear view and their was his car, on the tow dolly, passing him in the left lane, he speed up, pulled in front and slowed down, made contact and slowed both to a stop. Needless to say, that tow dolly left a mark on the rear of the MH>

Can I ask what brand of hitch pin lock you were using? I am getting ready to buy one as I just gave mine to a fellow RVer as a favor. It was a Master Lock unit and I liked it because it gave a slight "snap" when it locked into place.

I see another brand (Reese? ...not sure if that was that brand or not) that is about $5 cheaper but reading your story, I wonder what brand failed you.

And was it an actual failure of the lock itself? Or was it tampered with? Or was it "operator error?"

I have had this for years, but from what I can remember, it was a Reese. It had a lock that snapped onto the end. I still have the keys

It had to be failure of the lock itself. I never take my tow bar off the motorhome and the lock has been installed for over a year. I never physically pull on it, it's just always there. I'm also 90% positive it was there when I hooked up the motorhome as the point where I attach my safety cables is right beside the lock. It was obvious when I disconnected that the lock and pin was missing. If it was tampered with I have no idea when that might have happened.

Quote:

Originally Posted by amanda_h

Glad things worked out okay didn't turn catastrophic for you, Mark.

Can I ask what brand of hitch pin lock you were using? I am getting ready to buy one as I just gave mine to a fellow RVer as a favor. It was a Master Lock unit and I liked it because it gave a slight "snap" when it locked into place.

I see another brand (Reese? ...not sure if that was that brand or not) that is about $5 cheaper but reading your story, I wonder what brand failed you.

And was it an actual failure of the lock itself? Or was it tampered with? Or was it "operator error?"

I'm wondering what really would happen in a scenario like that. I can imagine the Jeep going into full-on lockup in the middle of the interstate. I'm assuming anti-lock would not work. Hopefully, it would stop in a straight line, but then you have the issue of a vehicle sitting smack dab in the middle of the road waiting to be rear ended

Quote:

Originally Posted by dogpatch

I was curious, as I have read many people have not installed the kit along with their tow bar set up.

I just can't imagine that. From what I know, it's law in most if not all states and provinces.

If someone were to be injured as a result of not having one, you would be up the creek. I had a shop install all my gear for liability reasons. Not a place you want to DIY for that very reason. JMHO.

I think at that point you have at least done all you can to bring the vehicle to a stop.
A vehicle head on doing 65 with another doing 65 would be more catastrophic than hitting something stationary I would think.

At least coming up to a stopped vehicle you would have some reaction time. Minimal, but some.

You are one lucky (or blessed) guy! That's really scary! That's the reason I check my hitch pin every time I hook up the toad. Of course, I realize that would not prevent it from coming out during travel, but at least it makes me feel better at the time!

I too would NEVER tow without a set of safety cables AND a breakaway kit that locks the toad brakes if it comes loose!

I'm looking at this as blessed as I'm sure that pin was in place when we began the trip.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

You are one lucky (or blessed) guy! That's really scary! That's the reason I check my hitch pin every time I hook up the toad. Of course, I realize that would not prevent it from coming out during travel, but at least it makes me feel better at the time!

I too would NEVER tow without a set of safety cables AND a breakaway kit that locks the toad brakes if it comes loose!

Had a similar rig on my class C Aspect. Prior to starting up one morning, I tugged up and down to check the play in my rig as I have to use a riser pulling my Wrangler. Sure enough there was play but something caught my eye, the receiver was also moving. Crawled under and found 3 of 4 bolts loose. Since the safety chains are hooked to the receiver, all I had for backup was the emergency breakaway system - Dodged that bullet!! I had the stock receiver modified with added bolts.